Mark Beecher saddled Exuma to win at Colonial

Details: July 19, 2024; By SARA CAVANAGH

NEW KENT, Va.--Mark Beecher saddled Exuma to win the $33,500,2 1/4 mile Ratings Handicap at Colonial Downs, one of three steeplechase races on Thursday, July 18.

Exuma Coady Photography Exuma (Photo by Coady Photography)Turks Head Turf's Exuma, ridden by Jamie Bargary, raced mid pack, moved up on the outside on the turn to challenge the long time leader Lightning Ridge and went into the lead in the stretch to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Auction Kingdom, trained by Neil Morris, and Auchincruive, trained by Keri Brion.

"Exuma went very nicely," said Beecher. "We knew there would be a lot of pace. The instructions were just take your time, and find your way through late. Jamie rode him just right."

Beecher said that the long term plan had been to run him in a maiden race at Colonial, but then, while he ran second at Radnor, the horse that beat him was later disqualified, meaning Exuma was moved up to win the maiden race,

"He was then rated at 107, and this was a 110 rated, so this race was nice for him,"said Beecher, ""It let him find his feet. We'll take him home, and we'll wait to see what rating he gets now. Or maybe we'll run him in an allowance next."

WALK THE WARRIOR (Ire), owned by Leipers Fork Steeplechasers, trained by Leslie Young and ridden by Bargary, won the $50,000 Maiden Hurdle by 1 1/4 lengths over Westerland, trained by Kathy Neilson, and Palio, trained by Jack Fisher.

This was Walk the Warrior's second race in this country, having previously placed second at Iroguois after being imported from Ireland, where he had run twice.

Walk the Warrior moved up to challenge the long time leader Fingal at the second to last fence moved up on the outside around the turn and dug in to win over Westerland.

Keri Brion saddled Kitten Around, owned by Upland Flats Racing, Darkhorse Racing and The International Venture, and ridden by Steve Mulqueen, to win the $34,550 Ratings Handicap by 1 3/4 lengths over Artistic Choice (Ire), trained by Young, and Jimmy Dan, trained by Fisher.

Kitten Around was up close in a tightly packed field, moved into the lead over the last fence and dug in to gamely hold off Artistic Choice in the stretch.